Ore-concentrating table.



E. A. WALL. ORE OONOENTRATING TABLE.

APPLICATION EILBD D110. 29, 1910.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INV ENTOk 62M W80 WINESSES A Home E. A. WALL. OBE OONGENTRATING TABLE.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP E0. 29, 1910. 988,748. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

' 4 2 nnnnnnnn SET 2.

V v sum 1 ENOS A, WALL, or SALT LAKn CITY, UTAH;

onn-cononurna'rmc TABLE.

Specification 0! Letters Intent Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,986.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enos A. WALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrating Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class-of ore washing machines which, by reason of their exterior form are called tables. Such tables are usually constructed in rectangular form, with a plain or rifiled surface. These tables are provided with devices whereby their surfaces may of inclination either longitudinally or transof which is to cause particles of mineral, or.

- current of water.

versely, and are connected with actuating mechanism which imparts to the table an oscillating reciprocal movement, terminating with a sudden erk, or bump, the eifect other heavy substances, resting on the surface of the table, to slide or progress in the direction of movement of the actuating mechanism. In operation the table is inclined transversely to a degree sufficient to cause the material being treated to move or drift freely by power of a slowly moving The material consists of a mixture of finely crushed or divided rock or sands and water and is fed upon the surface of the higher side of the table, and is carried thence by t e flowing water across the line of motion of the table to the downward or opposite side thereof, and as a result the heavier, or mineral particles, on coming in contact with the surface of the table, respend to the bumping or jerking action of the actuating mechanism, and are thus caused to move in the direction of the bumping or jerking motion of the table, across the path of the flowing water, and drifting sands, and are discharged into a receptacle f the table. In the early at the tail end 0 stages of progress in the development of the surface of the tables of this character,

table used was uniforml plain or unriflled, and while therecovery of the valuable mineral in this form of surface was much more complete, than now results from modified forms, the capacity came to be considered too low for successful application to treatment of the lower grade ores which are being utilizedby later practice. It was therefore discovered that by the intervention of a series of dams formed b y placing thin strips of be adjusted to varying degrees 'centrating wood or other material across the flow of water and drifting ore and sands, that the volume of ores susceptible of treatment could be greatly increased. At the sometime however, the fact developed that a large portion of the finer particles of valuable mineral persistently passed over the rifiles and walls discharged with the waste sands.

that whereas, the upper" vertical walls of the riffles' are effective in damming or holding back the coarse-r, and heavier portions settle to the surface of the table, the finer and lighter port-ions were kept in partial suspension with the sands in the'water, due to the succession of miniature boilin'g cataracts which are roduced by impact of the water on the ri passing over the ritlles, and that practically all of the finer portions of mineral that are recovered are those which find accidental lodgment in the narrow eddy formed against the face of the lower vertical wall of the riffle. In order to recover the finely divided portions of mineral in its treatment upon tables of this class, it is essential that the mass of material containing a mixture of the finer grains be caused to drift upon a plain'smooth surface, sutlicient distance to allow the fine as well as the coarser grains to settle through the sands-and come in contact with the surface of the tables. If then the mass be caused to pass over a series of my improved step-falls; the fine and coarse mineral will be found by reason of relative specific gravity to lodge in or recesses formed against the face of the, lower wall of the successive steps as shovin in the drawing and hereinafter described.

The object of my invention is therefore to provide a table formed of a series of longitudinally extending horizontally disposed parallel surfaces so that the flow of water and material will be down the successive steps and across the line of motion of the table, whereby the heavier material in pass-' ing over one step will fall down and be arrested at the angle of the next step below and be forced along the vertical wall at the junction of the two steps and to the tail of the table. This object I accomphshby the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ore contable with my improvements appractical o eration of tables of this 5 class I discover of mineral which "readily v es and its rise and falliu 7! the angles as in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5

"i form,

shaped strips 0, extending in the direction A, designates the table supported in any a bed or frame B,

suitable manner upon plate springs b. The

as for instance by the table A, has its upper surface in the form of a series of longitudinally extending ste s A, the upper or working faces ofwhich ie in horizontally disposed parallel planes; the highest step being at the feed side A and the lowest step being at the 'gangue-discharge side A The steps A extend from the head end Atoward the tailend A of the table and this end is a. plane surface as shown.

While the table extends downwardly at an incline from its feed side A toward its waste side A the series of working faces formed by the upper sides or treads of the steps all lie in substantially horizontal planes and so while the surface of the table is in parallel planes it is zontal.

The discharge edge of each step is made to overhang the inner edge of the next and 6 though this overhang may be omitted if desired as shown in Fig. 7 In Fig. 4, which shows the preferred the steps A, are formed of wedge substantially horiof the length of the table with their thicker sides next to the discharge side A of the table and upon the upper side of the strips (1, are secured metal; the plates a in Figs. land 5 being wider than the strips a, so as to produce an overhang a at the discharge edges of the strips. This overhang may be produced in other ways as for instance by anfundercut or bevel a as in Fig. 6. -In any event-the thicker side of the strip a will form a wall or riser at the opposite edge of the step from the flow of the feed water so that the heavier material will fall down from thedischarge edges of the steps and. lodge next to said vertically disposed wall while the water and lighter material the heavier material and flow on down the succeeding steps depositing as it flows the valuable material at each riser orvertical wall. The valuable material thus deposited along each vertical wall will by the bumping or jerking action of the table be moved thercalong and finally reach the plane A at the tail end from which it will be discharged into any suitable receptacle By referring to Fig. 5 the action of the water on the matcrn l will be the more readilyunderstood. It will be seen first that the Fig. 1

flow of water from the feed side of the table toward its discharge side will not be impeded by any raised surfaces, fies since there are none.

In the old forms of tables employing riffies or dams, -by the Water striking against the front yertical wall of the riiiie which causes a sud; den upward movement which carriesmuch valuable material over the dam or riiile and causes a great waste of the lighter and valuable particles. In my table there are no dams for the water to impact or strike and impede its flow as the surface, though'dr ,vided, is horizontally disposed and the water will fall from one step to another as shown step below plates a, of linoleum or sheet' in Fig. 5. The valuable heavier particles will drop down at the discharge edge of every step and the next succeeding step beyond the point where the valuable particles lie and will not therefore carry them beyond the last step. Suc cessive step-like strata of valuable material and, as deposited at the vertically disposed walls or risers, will be moved longitudinally therealong toward the tail of the table owing to the bumping or jerking action thereof.

The steps or surfaces A, are shown in Fig. 2 as slightly oblique to the line of motion of the table but this is not necessary as they maybe arranged in the same direction as the line of movement.

The inclination of the table from feed side toward overflow may be varied and so with the inclination from head to tail as is usual in this class'of machines.

Any form of actuating mechanism may be employed, which will'cause the particles of mineral adhering tojor resting upon the surface of the table to progress toward the tail or discharge end of the table in response to the movement of such mechanism but I prefer the mechanism shown and described in my Patent No. 947,874, dated Feb. 1, 1910, which acts to slowly retract the table by the will fall beyond I cam O acting on tappet C and then release it when it will be projected quickly forward by the spring 0 and suddenly stopped by contact of the buii'er c with the bumping post B thus producing a jerk 0r bump, and causing the mineral toprogress toward the discharge end of the table with each successive jerk or bump.

Having thus" described my invention what I desire to claim is rtable, reciprocating means adapted to progress the concentrates toward fi l 1e discharge end. said discharge end being unobstructed and said table being provided with a working surface divided into a series of parallel transversely horizontal planes extending unobstructed in the direction of the length, and 1 line of motion, of the table and forming a the flow of water is interrupted water will strike the will underlie the water and waste material ribs, or rif- 1. A transversely inclined concentrating series of steps descending from the high or feed side of the table toward the opposite or gangue-discharge side; the risers at the discharge edges of the steps forming walls against which the heavier particles will settle as the Wash-water and lighter material flow on down the steps.

2. A transversely inclined concentrating table, reciprocating means adapted to progress the concentrates toward'the discharge end, said discharge end being unobstructed and saidtable being provided .with-a working surface divided into a series of arallel transversely horizontal planes exten ing un- 15 obstructed in the direction of the length and Copies of this patent may be obtained for line of motion of the table and forming a series of steps descending from the high or feed side of the table toward the opposite or gangue-discharge side, and the discharge edge of one step overhanging the inner edge of the next step below and thereby forming recesses into which the heavier particles will settle as the wash water and lighter material How on down the steps.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my'signature in presence of two witnesses.

ENOS A'. WALL. \Vitnesses C." L. STURTEVANT, E. G. MASON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

